About the Collections

The collections of the University of Texas Libraries are the result of over one hundred years of continuing commitment by librarians, faculty, students, and private donors to build one of the great library collections of the world. Critical to the shaping of the Libraries’ collections are the subject specialists liaison librarians. Please see the Subject Specialist Directory for contact information and Research Guides by Subject, as well as the Acquisitions Manual for Faculty for additional information.

The library collections at the University of Texas are a true collaborative effort. They are the foundation upon which a student's education is built and form the cornerstone of university research efforts. Every library user is encouraged to help shape the collection by talking with their librarians and by making purchase suggestions. The excellence of any library is a testament to the people and institutions that have nurtured and supported it. You can recommend an item for purchase by completing the Purchase Request Form.

The UT Libraries are operating with a flat collections budget throughout the current five-year budget planning cycle (FY14-18) while the cost of content continues to inflate. In order to stay within budget the Libraries were required to eliminate approximately $250,000 in our recurring collections costs in FY 2014/15.

A Task Force appointed by the Vice Provost and Director of Libraries worked over the Spring and Summer 2014, in conjunction with subject selectors and Teaching and Learning Services, to identify resources that we will not renew in the current fiscal year. These resources, which appear below, were identified, reviewed and vetted by examining usage relative to cost, the intellectual overlap of the resource with others we offer, and whether other tools might be acceptable substitutes.